Laguna Woods, California – Mike Kolar passed away at his home on Friday February 7, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Anne Baldus Kolar, five children: Marguerite, Mike, Tom and Darlene, Dave and Chris, and Tim; and eight grandchildren: Stephen, Christen, Jonah, Julie, Blanca, Jackson, Andrew, and Alex.

Mike was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from St. Joseph High School and John Carroll University. Mike met Anne Baldus during their undergraduate studies and they married after graduation in 1961. Mike did graduate work at Case Western University, ultimately receiving a PhD in Nuclear Engineering.

After working for East Ohio Gas Company and NASA in Cleveland, Mike and Annie moved their family to Ann Arbor, Michigan for Mike's work. In 1978, the family moved to Sunnyvale, California where Mike provided support to nuclear energy facilities around the world, including Three Mile Island after its partial meltdown.

In 1988, after their children left home or were at university, Mike and Annie moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where Mike was a tenured professor and Chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Upon retirement in 2006, they returned to their home in Sunnyvale, California. In retirement, Mike spent time as a volunteer reading books for the blind as well as with a local hospice organization. In 2018, Mike and Annie moved to Laguna Woods, CA.

In accordance with Mike's wishes, there will be no formal memorial service. The family would be most grateful if you would share your memories of Mike. To share your story or reflection, please sign the guest book below.

Mike will be deeply missed by many. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic) https://supportus.learningally.org/give/193026/#!/donation/checkout